1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to sulfonamide compounds represented by general formula (I) below and salts thereof, herbicidal compositions containing them as active ingredients, process for producing them, and intermediates thereof. ##STR2## wherein each of X.sub.1, X.sub.2, and X.sub.3 independently represents a hydrogen atom or a halogen atom, each of Y.sub.1, Y.sub.2, and Y.sub.3 independently represents a halogen atom, and R represents a methyl group or a methoxy group.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Isothiazolesulfonamide compounds are known as effective herbicides, as indicated by a general formula in European Patent Application Publication No. 96003. However, sulfonamide compounds of the present invention are not specifically disclosed in this prior patent. This prior patent does not describe applications of sulfonamide compounds as rice plant herbicides, either. Usefulness of isothiazole sulfonamide compounds as herbicides are known by Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1480/1984 and No. 48988/1985. However, the compounds disclosed in the former prior patent differ from the ones of the present invention in that no substituent group is present at the 5-position of an isothiazole ring. The compounds disclosed in the latter prior patent differ from the ones of the present invention in that the type of substituent group differs from that of the present invention. From these viewpoints, the sulfonamide compounds of the prior art have clearly different chemical structures from those of the present invention.